The Chosen Key Word in this Chapter is “Resurrection” it comes from the Greek Word “anastasis” which means “resurrection.”
Paul addresses believers who doubted the resurrection, and builds one of the most powerful arguments in the entire Bible. Welcome to Bible Life Basics Chapter Reviews, I am Chris and this is 1 Corinthians 15.
Paul reminds the Corinthians of the gospel he originally preached to them, that Christ died for their sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day, appearing afterward to Cephas, the twelve, over five hundred brethren at once, James, all the apostles, and finally to Paul himself. He addresses directly the troubling claim some among them were making, that there is no “resurrection,” “anastasis” in Greek, of the dead, reasoning that if there is no resurrection, then Christ has not risen either, making their faith entirely futile and Paul’s preaching empty, and worse, making the apostles false witnesses of God. Paul insists forcefully that Christ has indeed risen from the dead, becoming “the firstfruits of them that slept,” and just as death came through one man, Adam, resurrection life comes through one man, Christ, explaining an order to this resurrection, Christ first, then those who belong to Him at His coming, before the final end when death itself, “the last enemy,” is destroyed. He addresses questions about what kind of body is raised, using illustrations of seeds that must first die before producing new life, and distinguishing between the natural body sown in weakness and dishonor, and the spiritual body raised in power and glory. Paul describes the astonishing transformation awaiting believers, “we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump,” when the dead will be raised incorruptible and the living transformed, this corruptible putting on incorruption. Quoting Isaiah and Hosea together, Paul declares triumphantly, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” thanking God who gives believers the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ, and closing with an urgent encouragement to remain steadfast, since their labor in the Lord “is not in vain.”
Paul builds his entire argument for the resurrection on a simple but devastating logic, if Christ has not risen, then Christian faith is completely worthless. Rather than treating the resurrection as one belief among many, he insists it is the very foundation everything else depends on, which is exactly why he defends it here with such passionate, careful detail.
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